During the construction of new housing, commercial developments and highways, the site work or roads for the development generally is marked out and graded to the engineer's specifications. The storm water drainage system is generally constructed in conjunction with the site work, which drainage system typically includes a series of interconnected underground drainage pipes, collection boxes and culverts, and drop inlets that will later form the manholes or drain openings for the storm water drainage system at the street level. The storm water drainage pipes generally are substantially cylindrically shaped concrete, metal or plastic pipes that connect to each other in series, as well as connecting to culverts and collection boxes at varying points along the storm water system. Once the storm water drainage system has been substantially installed, it typically is buried and the curbs for the street will provide curb inlets into which the storm water runoff will drain.
During the construction of roads and storm water drainage systems, and similarly during the repair and replacement or updating of such storm water drainage systems, until the street and storm water drainage or system have been substantially completed and the curbs and throats of the storm water drainage system have been poured, the drainage pipes must be kept free of dirt and debris, including sediment, sand and other material in order to comply with state and county building codes and state and federal environmental regulations. If dirt and debris are allowed to wash into and collect within the drainage pipes, such silt and debris can be washed into downstream lakes, rivers, etc., creating environmental hazards therein. Keeping dirt and debris out of the storm water drainage system is, however, very difficult to accomplish during the construction of the drainage system since the drainage system typically is constructed within trenches dug into the ground along the sides of the roads, which trenches cannot be covered or filled in until the drainage system is completed. At the same time, the roadways also generally are being cut and graded by motor graders or bulldozers such that dirt and debris from the roadway areas is piled up and pushed to the sides, often onto and around the drainage system pipes. Additionally, rain, runoff water and wind also tend to wash or blow dirt and debris into the open ends of the drainage pipes.
In accordance with many state and county building regulations/codes, any dirt and debris washed into or otherwise collected within the drainage pipes and/or other parts of the drainage system must be removed. This usually means that laborers will have to be sent down into the pipes of the storm water drainage system to manually clean the dirt and/or debris from the drainage system. Such cleaning operations are, however, difficult as the storm water pipes typically are somewhat cramped, making it difficult to maneuver within the pipes, and there is further a significant risk or danger of cave-ins or collapse of dirt, etc., that has built up around the sides of the storm water drainage system pipes, creating a significant risk of injury or even death to the laborers working below. Still further, open storm water pipes can be especially dangerous for children who might play in or around the area and are more likely to be curious and could enter and become trapped within the drainage pipes.
In the past, most storm water inlet pipes generally have been protected with sheets of silt fence material or plywood staked across the front of the storm water pipe. As shown in FIG. 1, such sheets of wood 1, such as plywood, or other solid materials often have been mounted in front of open storm water pipes 1 and secured with stakes, bricks or other bracing material 2 to try to block the ingress of dirt and debris into the open storm water pipes, while still enabling the boards to be removed as construction of the storm water drainage system continues. Such solutions, however, often can be ineffective at protecting and preventing dirt and debris from entering the storm water drainage system. For example, fabric silt fence materials often can be collapsed or torn as dirt is piled thereover, such as by bulldozers or other road grading equipment. Likewise, sheets of wood, such as plywood 1 placed in front of open storm water pipes, as shown in FIG. 1, can be blown over by strong gusts of wind, and/or can be shifted or moved during heavy rainstorms and as dirt is piled thereagainst, thus causing the open end of the sewer inlet to be exposed. Additionally, use of plywood sheets and other similar degradable materials around the open pipes can further create additional debris that can wash into the storm water pipes.
Alternatively, completely sealing or closing off the open end of the storm water pipe, which is often done using current construction methods, also blocks the rain and storm runoff water from properly draining into and through the storm water drainage pipe of the development during construction. It is, however, important that the storm water runoff be allowed to properly drain away so as to permit the ground around the development to properly dry to prevent construction delays and to prevent storm water from eroding the work site and carrying away soil and debris to adjacent lots or buildings. The construction site further needs to be kept as dry as possible in order to enable additional phases of the storm water drainage system to be constructed.
Accordingly, it can be seen that a need exists for a device and system that enables open ends of storm water drainage pipes to be covered and protected so as to substantially prevent silt, dirt and debris from being washed or blown into the piping system, while enabling substantially free and complete drainage of storm water runoff into the drainage system and further facilitating the continuation and completion of construction of the storm water drainage system without interference therewith.